1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compressor having an oil separator.
2. Description of the Related Art
A compressor is known which comprises a compression mechanism for sucking and compressing gas that contains lubricating oil; a housing in which the compression mechanism is accommodated and which is formed with an outlet (discharge port), a discharge chamber communicating with the compression mechanism, and a communication passage extending from the discharge chamber to the outlet; and a centrifugal separator, disposed in the communication passage of the housing, for separating the lubricating oil from the gas discharged from the compression mechanism.
This kind of compressor is disclosed in Japanese provisional patent publication No. 2001-295767, which comprises a centrifugal separator including a cylindrical body having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion and fixed in a communication passage of a housing with its large diameter portion directed to a downstream side in the direction of gas flow. An annular oil separating chamber is defined between the small diameter portion of the cylindrical body and a communication passage-forming portion of the housing. An opening formed in the housing communicates with the oil separating chamber and is directed tangential to the annular oil separating chamber.
The compressor disclosed in the above-mentioned publication is designed to cause the gas discharged from the compression mechanism to swirl in the oil separating chamber, so that the lubricating oil is separated from the gas by means of a centrifugal force acting on the swirling gas.